Correspondence of Governor Sharp e. 59

on their Return maybe able to give some more particular
Informations.
The Method the Assembly concerted for augmenting our
Forces has not fully answer'd Expectation, as upwards of 100
deserted from Fort Loudoun in one Week; the dastardly
Spirit of our common People, their Ignorance of Arms &
cowardly lazy Disposition, makes the raising of Men very
difficult, but I am determin'd to make Examples of some of
them by Death. Our Press continues employ'd in print^g our
Paper Money, that they have not had Time to print our Acts
of Assembly, but when printed I shall send them to You.
We have no certain Acc^t of the Fleet &c from Ireland
having arrived at N: Scotia, but from different Acc^ts from New
England it's said they have join'd Lord Loudoun, & I think
it's more than probable to be true; it's late in the Year for
executing the Grand Plan of Operations, however I dare say
L^d Loudoun will proceed on it, & I sincerely wish them Suc-
cess; its said there are eight Line of Battle Ships at Lewis-
burg, & many Transports with Men gone up S^t Lawrence, but
as there are so many flying Stories, I incline, to suspend my
Opinion thereon till more certainly inform'd. It is reported
here that the Prussians have gain'd a Second Victory but it
wants Confirmation.
Cap^t Arburthnott arrived here last Monday & is going to
Careen to be ready to convoy the Trade home; I have not
yet seen him, but the Time of his sailing from the hereafter
inform You, for the Benifit of Your Trade.
I rem^a with great Esteem & Regard
Your Excellency's
most obed^t hble Servant
Rob^t Dinwiddie
Gov^r Sharpe.

[Sharpe to Atkins.]

29^th July 1757.
Sir
I am obliged to you for Your Letters of the 12^th & 30^th of
Iune & 12^th Inst which were did to me a few Days ago by M^r
Fell. If the Assembly of this Province had left it to me to
cultivate the Friendship of the Southern Indians or to
encourage their Service by such Methods as I should judge
proper I shoul proceed according to Your Advice & Direc-
tions but as the Assembly did long before His Majesty was
pleased to appoint you Super Intendant of Indian Affairs
appropriate a Sum of Money for the Encouragement &
Reward of such of them as should take or destroy any of our